In this episode of Fans With Bands, we sit down with Kevin Kay (Detroit Music Collective) to analyze the results of the recent Greater Detroit Music Census. We were joined by singer-songwriter Julianne Ankley, who shared her perspective as a working musician in Detroit.
The conversation dives into the financial realities facing local artists, venue shortages that cause touring acts to bypass the city, the perception of elitism in the local scene, and practical initiatives underway to strengthen the region’s 10-county music ecosystem.
Key Census Highlights & Data Points
Total Survey Response
2,500+ respondents across 10 counties (75-mile radius around Detroit) - unique in that this was all done with grassroots effort.
Music-Generated Income
Average music income is $20,000/year, well below the poverty line, while average total income is $88,000.
Primary Employment
68% of musicians rely on non-music jobs for their primary income.
Out-of-Pocket Investment
Local musicians spend $16.2 million annually out-of-pocket to support their music careers.
Venue Performance
Detroit averages 64 events per venue per year, compared to Cleveland/Columbus (96–97) and Nashville (172).
Artist Retention Flight Risk
74% plan to pursue music in 3 years, but only 48% plan to stay in Detroit.
Perception of Scene
54% view the scene as elitist, spiking to 87% among 18–24-year-olds.
Discussion Topics
* Grassroots Power vs. Lack of Civic Support: How community partners pulled off the census without city government backing or major press support, outperforming larger markets on a per-capita grassroots basis.
* The Missing Mid-Sized Venues: Why touring bands skip Detroit on Midwest runs between Chicago and Cleveland due to a shortage of venue capacities and a lack of a local Independent Venue Association chapter.
* Recording Dollars Leaving Michigan: How artists often travel to cities like Nashville for streamlined studio workflows, and what Detroit studios can do to capture local talent and keep production capital in-state.
* Treating Musicians as Small Businesses: Why municipal and county economic development programs need to view independent musicians as small businesses deserving of tax write-offs, resources, and streamlined event permitting.
* Rebuilding the Scene’s Infrastructure:
* Master Events Calendar: Developing an automated, scraped region-wide calendar for all live shows and cultural events across the 75-mile radius.
* Student PR Network: Partnering with local university journalism/PR programs (e.g., Oakland University, Wayne State) to give students portfolio-building experience covering local bands and shows.
* Master Industry Directory: Creating a comprehensive resource listing area studios, equipment specs, rates, and session musicians.
* Sponsorship Models for Independent Venues: How small venues can boost revenue and support artists by tapping into local business sponsorships and cross-promotions.
Key Quotes
“We don’t have a talent problem here. We have an infrastructure problem.”
— Kevin Kay
“An artist is a business... If the Greater Detroit metropolitan area truly believes that music is an important industry to this area, we have all got to work together to help strengthen and grow that.”
— Kevin Kay
“The minute I left town, all of a sudden I was more valuable here. That’s got to change too... There’s so much talent here that it would be nice to see it promoted from within.”
— Julianne Ankley
“Rising tide lifts all boats... Working together is critical. There’s got to be a consensus among everyone within this community to start valuing artists and their music.”
— Kevin Kay & Chuck
Greater Detroit Music Census Report
Website
Check our the report
Check out the census data dashboard
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Kevin Kay
Check out the Detroit Music Collective
Follow on Facebook, Instagram
Julianne Ankley
Check out her music
Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Spotify
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